Tips on Winning the Game of Office Politics*
To be good at office politics, you do not have to sacrifice your principles or develop your
brown-nosing skills to a fine art. These guidelines can help you survive and thrive in the
everyday world of office politics:
1.
Put your organization vision first. It=s good politics to publicly support the
organization vision.
2.
Support your boss. Being an enthusiastic promoter of your manager=s ideas is
part of your job. While you can disagree with your boss occasionally, you may
need to reevaluate your position if you disagree more than you agree.
3.
Establish your credibility. Follow through on assignments, return call, keep
promises and give no excuses. No one wants to hear about what you can=t or
don=t want to do.
4.
Endorse the unwritten company values, which may include arriving early,
attending corporate functions and supporting certain community causes. These
activities are a part of the corporate culture and are important to your career.
5.
Help others succeed. Do what you can to eliminate obstacles for your coworkers.
Share information and resources to help others get more of what they want.
6.
Confront key issues and changes positively. Would you want to work with a
person who complains, whines and impedes the progress of others? Volunteer to
lead or implement change.
7.
Listen to your enemies. They are the ones who are brutally honest with you, who
point out your flaws and who are willing to let you know when you failed. Your
friends may shade the truth to protect you.
8.
Understand the reason behind other=s actions. A wise man once said,
AEveryone is logical unto themselves.@ In conflicts, develop the skill of asking for
clarification.
9.
If your think you are becoming a victim of a back-stabber, lair or manipulator, do
not take it personally. Your best strategy could be to talk with these coworkers
about their intentions and make sure they understand your views to ensure that a
misunderstanding does not exist.
10.
Play by the Golden Rule. On the job you not only are judged by the results that
you produce but also by the way you deal with and treat others in the process.
Reputations, confidence and opportunities are enhanced when you play fair and
do the right thing.
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*Drawn from Belle Wise, USA Today , 9/11/00, p. 7A.